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Drinking limits should be slashed for over-65s because of the effects of ageing according to a doctors’ report urging more action to tackle alcohol and drug misuse among the elderley.

Separate guidance on safe drinking levels for over-65s should be issued by the Government as recommended limits are based on younger adults and are too high for older people, the Royal College of Psychiatrists said. Evidence showed the upper safe limit for older men is 1.5 units of alcohol a day, the college said, compared with the current threshold of three to four units. The advice for women aged over 65 should change from two to three units to just one unit a day, said Dr Tony Rao, a consultant in old-age psychiatry and a member of the working group that drew up the report. Read the rest of this entry »

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Minimum alcohol prices by next year 10/05/2011 Source – The Scotsman 10/05/2011 – Extract A new minimum price for alcohol is likely to become law within a year, after the SNP vowed the measure would be the key priority of its second term in office.

The newly re-elected Nationalist administration has confirmed the 45-pence-per-unit minimum-price measure will be in its first legislative programme after it was blocked in the last parliament by opposition parties. Sources suggested the legislation would most likely come into force on 1 April next year. The measure was first proposed by the SNP in the last parliament in response to Scotland’s problem drinking culture. The British Medical Association revealed earlier this month that alcohol was a factor in more than 5,500 GP consultations in Scotland on one day in April and medical leaders last night welcomed the SNP’s pledge to revive the pricing policy. Dr Brian Keighley, chairman of the BMA in Scotland, said: “I am pleased that the new Scottish Government has made a commitment to reintroduce a minimum pricing bill. Read the rest of this entry »

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“Apocalypse” of Alcohol-fuelled Crime Source – BBC Website http://www.bbc.co.uk ews/uk-scotland-12815538 The head of the prosecution service has warned of an “apocalypse” of alcohol-fuelled crime unless Scotland curbs its hard-drinking culture. Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini told the BBC Scotland that reducing the availability of cheap alcohol would help tackle the problem. Read the rest of this entry »

Scotland could go it alone in cutting legal alcohol-limit Source – The Herald Plans to lower the legal drink-drive limit could go ahead in Scotland despite the UK Government yesterday rejecting any change to the law. Read the rest of this entry »

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Scots drink four more bottles of spirits a year than in 1990s Source – The Scotsman Scots are drinking an extra 1.2 litres of pure alcohol annually compared with 1994, a report reveals. The 11 per cent increase to 11.9 litres for everyone 16 and over is the equivalent of an extra four bottles of spirits a year.

The study, published by NHS Health Scotland, said the increase was driven by a 53 per cent jump in the amount of alcohol being bought in shops. Read the rest of this entry »

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New drink code shunned by six key health bodies Source – The Guardian Six health-organisations have walked away from the government’s ‘responsibility deal’ on alcohol, saying that Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, has allowed the industry to drive through a series of insignificant pledges that will do nothing to reduce drink-related illness and deaths. Read the rest of this entry »

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Alcohol policy in tatters as health experts revolt Source – The Guardian The government’s “responsibility” deal on alcohol looks likely to fall apart as health experts, angered by the limited concessions required of the drinks industry, consider walking away from the table. Read the rest of this entry »

Drink deaths will cost an extra 250,000 lives by 2031 Source – The Guardian Up to 250,000 people could die because of alcohol over the next 20 years unless ministers take strong action to tackle Britain’s chronic drink problems, leading doctors are warning. Read the rest of this entry »